Reasons Most People Are Not Changing the World

By James Carbary

Thus I make it my ambition to proclaim the good news, not where Christ has already been named, so that I do not build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written, "Those who have never been told of him shall see, and those who have never heard of him shall understand" (Rom. 15:20-21).

Every time he opens his mouth, I'm inspired to make the world more awesome.

His name is Renaut van der Riet, and I recently had the opportunity to interview him on the Inspiring Awesome Podcast. All of our guests are inspiring, but this interview was on another level.

Renaut planted a church 12 years ago that now sees 3,000 people every weekend across their three campuses. (Fun fact: One of those campuses is at Walt Disney World.) A few years after planting the church, Renaut started Axum Coffee which currently gives away 100 percent of the company's profits to world-changing endeavors in Axum, Ethiopia.

Church planting and entrepreneurship weren't enough for Renaut. In 2012, he and Brooke (his wife) adopted four children from Ethiopia...bringing their grand total to eight kids.

You read that right... I said EIGHT!!

Renaut makes decisions every day that are hard. He makes decisions that are risky. He makes decisions that are borderline crazy. But it's those decisions that have led him to changing the world in bigger ways than most of us will ever experience.

Do you want to change the world? Then you better be ready to do things that others aren't willing to do.

After interviewing Renaut, I came up with four reasons most people will never change the world.

1. They Won't Take Daily Action

You can't change the world if you're not taking purposeful, daily actions that eventually lead to the goal you're trying to reach.

Renaut didn't wake up one day and own a coffee enterprise that gives away 100 percent of its profits. He woke up every day for three years and made tiny decisions that eventually led to Axum Coffee and the global impact it is making.

What purposeful actions are you taking today?

2. They Won't Consider Their Legacy

Renaut mentions in our interview that his daughter will be a more effective world changer than he'll ever be.

Renaut and Brooke's decisions are not only impacting people on the other side of the world, they have a profound effect on their own children. Their kids get to see the joy, the pain, and the adventure that comes along with living a life that's focused on loving God, loving others, and serving the world.

To the van der Riet kids, immense sacrifice, irrational generosity, and radical faith are normal. When these kids become adults, they'll understand that they can (and will) change the world -- no matter the cost. Because their parents showed them what it looked like.

What standard are you setting for your kids? Are you showing them what it looks like to change the world? If so, they just might do it.

3. They'll Give Up

During our interview, Renaut told us: "You can always do more than you think. When something seems impossible, it's just the beginning of a story."

Axum Coffee wouldn't be funneling money into world-changing initiatives had Renaut and Brooke given up after three years of struggle.

Four kids from Ethiopia would have a painfully different future had Renaut and Brooke given up after government officials in Ethiopia told them it was impossible to adopt their children.

Do you want to change the world? Be ready to fight for it and never give up.

4. They Aren't Willing to Risk Everything

"If you start with the assumption that everything you have can be risked, that opens up the world for you." -- Renaut van der Riet

Renaut explains that so many of us don't step into risky, world-changing things because we're afraid of what we'll lose. He continued by telling us, "If you're not willing to lose something, the impossible is out of reach for you."

Everything Renaut has, he's willing to risk in an effort to change the world.

During the interview, Renaut explains how risky (and stupid) it is to adopt older boys into a home with younger girls...but he did it anyway. Note: Before you head off and adopt an older boy into a home with a younger girl, make sure to listen to the entire interview. Renaut and Brooke strongly discourage couples from doing this, apart from extremely clear direction from the Lord.

It's easy to read Matthew 10:39b ("...whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."), and breeze right through it without considering the implication of its application to our lives. "Losing your life" requires risk.

A Word From James

Not everyone will have a story like Renaut’s. But all of God’s children have a story of how we are using our resources to advance God’s kingdom. How is your story coming along? Is there some way FollowOne can help you, your children and your church use the blessings of God to serve lost and hurting people?